The proposal to re-open Stonehouse Bristol Road Station has received a £50,000 award from the Department for Transport’s Restoring Your Railways Ideas Fund. The funding is for feasibility studies to develop the Strategic Outline Business Case for the station. This is a really encouraging opportunity to work on the long-held aim of reopening Stonehouse Bristol Road Station to provide a direct rail link between Bristol and the Stroud Valleys.
In March 2021, the Department for Transport asked Stonehouse Town Council to submit a second bid to the Restoring Your Railway Fund. Stonehouse Town Council wrote the bid with support from Stroud District Council and Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership. Stroud District Council are the sponsor for the bid and will receive the funding for feasibility studies and expert advice from the Department for Transport. The support of Stroud District Council and Siobhan Baillie MP have been invaluable in making the funding bid a success, alongside work from many others who have promoted the proposal.